Feeding the hungry with better rice

You all know I’m an HPC cheerleader, and a sucker for applications of HPC into every day life. It doesn’t get much more everyday for the 3 billion people worldwide who rely on rice as a primary food source than rice production.

The University of Washington and IBM’s World Community Grid will study rice at the atomic level then combine that knowledge with traditional cross breeding techniques used by farmers throughout history. The goal — vitally important as rice shortages occur around the world — is to develop stronger strains of the grain that could produce crops with larger and more nutritious yields.
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“This project could ultimately help farmers around the world plant better crops and stave off hunger for some,” said Stanley Litow, Vice President of Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs and President of the IBM International Foundation. “People who want to be a part of something big can take a small step today by donating their unused computer time. Volunteers can personally effect how quickly this research is completed and can make a significant difference for farmers and people in great need.”

Learn more at the World Community Grid site: http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/.

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